By: Jennifer Hefner
“The Amount of Effort Needed at the Start Pales in Comparison to What Your Momentum Can Ultimately Produce in the End”
~https://stunningmotivation.com
The celebrations of the new year have fizzled, and Valentine’s Day is here! The excitement of new year resolutions wears off, NOW WHAT!?! Maybe you are finding it difficult to keep the momentum with your weight loss journey or nutrition. Maybe you are having some trouble with motivation. The exciting part of any plan or journey is the planning phase, the thought of an exciting outcome. As we get into implementing the plan, that “honeymoon” phase can wear off quickly. According to US News and World Report, by February 1st 80% of people fail to keep their resolutions. So let’s talk about what we can do to stay on track!
Let’s take a quick look at 5 ideas that we can use to move past the new year “honeymoon” phase and keep the momentum going:
· Yes, I am going to go back to this- REMEMBER YOUR WHY! This phrase gets used over and over, but it really is the basis to staying on track with your plan. Without a WHY, any health journey or weight loss plan is going to fail. Getting back to that basic concept can help get your mind refocused.
· Create a theme for the week that will shake up your plan and add some pizazz! This will give you something to look forward to and you can have your family or friends be a part of it. This week could be “The Great Outdoors,” taking your workouts outside and create meals or dishes that would represent the outdoors, picnicking, camping, etc. Just keep them nutritious! Next week’s theme could be Olympic Inspired! With the Olympics taking place, take some inspiration and make some healthy dishes that represent the different countries participating in the games. The Super Bowl is coming up- great theme for that week! Some other ideas might be Clean Eats Only week or Dumbbell Workout Week. Get creative with healthy foods and workouts and have some fun with themes!
· ACCOUNTABILITY! Set up a day with an accountability partner or group and do a check in. Having that support system is key.
· Keep a CHECK OFF board. Have a printout or small board with a list of small goals you have set. As you reach these milestones, mark them off and celebrate! Some milestones might be a 5-pound weight loss, the 10 pound mark, or when you reach 10 pounds, 12 pounds, or 15 pounds on your bicep curls or running a mile in a certain time. You set the goals.
· Stop Comparing Your Journey and Achievements to Others! Every lifestyle, journey and body are different, and the progress will be different. Focus on YOU!
Keeping that MINDSET of staying focused, finding ways to keep your journey fun, and seeing the small victories will help keep you from being part of that 80% statistic. Finding motivation is key, keep going friends! You are not alone in this journey. NEW YEAR, NOW WHAT? YOU ARE WHAT!!!
~Jennifer Hefner, Change Your State Mindset Coach